DIY Screenprinting?

 sounds too good to be true huh! at least that is what I thought, I am so lame... I said in my last blog that I wouldn't do another tutorial for a long time... so I lied.. this stuff is too good not to share.

Today I am going to haphazardly show you how to screen print your own t-shirts at home.

First things first, find a blank shirt. I made mine from a tutorial from the awesome blog "Made"  it is her 90 minute shirt, I love her style! I am sure we would be best friends if we ever met.  I got this tutorial from her as well. but I am writing it here too, mostly because I think that this at home "screen printing" might be my newest addiction!

Next you need to find a design you love, I love owls I think they are so super cute, so that is what I picked. Then you draw your design on the dull side of a piece of freezer paper. We all know from my last tutorial that is what i draw my patterns on so I just used a scrap from one of my patterns. When you are drawing out the stencil keep in mind of what you want to be the shirt color and what you want to be the paint color. then cut out all of the pieces that you are going to be painting. Lay the stencil down on the fabric where you want the design (glossy side down) and iron in to the shirt. Wha-La it is stuck!

 Fabric Paint, I got the tulip brand paint at Michael's for $1.69 and the paint brush was $.30 so this was pretty cheep to do. I picked white paint for the shirt to match the white trim. Paige was mad at me because she wanted me to use the pink paint. I told her next time.

Make sure when painting over your stencil that you don't go out side of the stencil, also I put a board in between the two layers of the shirt so had a hard surface behind it. I used two coats of paint to get it covered the way I wanted it. (but that is mostly preference)  let the paint dry at least an hour before applying your next coat. then when it is all dry to set the paint you need to use a hot Iron and Press it. Don't Iron directly over the image, I put a piece of parchment paper over the top of the design. There you have it your DIY screen print is Done! It is sure to bring out the lion in you.

 HAPPY SCREEN PRINTING!!!

Grocery Bag Tutorial

Well I promised I would show you them when they were done, but i am going to do one better and show you how to make them.

 First I am going to say that making a tutorial is a ton of work, I now have a new appreciation for all of the online tutorials I have used! So if any of you want to mail me checks for this I will accept them. ( I am kidding of course)

OK here we go....

amount of fabric you need.

1/2 yard of two different kinds of fabric 

or 1 yard of fabric

 First lets make a pattern.

1. Find a grocery bag from your favorite store.

2. Cut The seam off the bottom of the bag.

3. Open the Bag up.

4. Fold it in half. You only have to do this step if you want. I just like to cut things on the fold because it is faster.

5. draw this shape out on some freezer paper, or news paper, or whatever you use to draw out patterns.

6. Woo hoo we have a pattern! make sure you specify on the pattern what side is the fold. :)

Cut it out

Make sure that you don't cut the fold! Cut one for the bag, one for the lining, and keep a scrap for your loop.

you don't have to use contrasting designs but i think it makes them fun.

Lets' Start Sewing

 

                                                                    Sew both bags right sides together with a 1/2 inch seam allowance and sew only where I have put red marks. Do not sew your handles shut.  Also that little scrap I had you set aside. (it really can be whatever size you want but about a inch and a half wide and a few inches long.) fold it in half then stitch along the bottom and one side so that you can turn it inside out. I like to use my embroidery scissors to turn my loops inside out. They are super handy scissors that I use mostly for trimming threads but i also use them to rip out seams when I make mistakes. (although I never make a mistake so that should read, they are the scissors I would use to take out seams)

Let me show you how I make the bottom of this bag

This has to be one of the best parts! This is how I do the bottom of a lot of bags I make, it keeps them from looking dorky with those silly points poking out each side on the bottom of the bag. First make a pattern, I cut mine out of some junk mail. Any way take a corner of any piece of paper and measure three inches up on both sides and cut it straight across. TA-DA! You have a corner! So exciting. Now  for the hard part. You need to match the side seam up with the bottom seam, flatten it out and draw the line you need to sew on. for dark fabrics I use the white crayon from my daughters crayon box (she never uses white anyways) and if you didn't know, it is also great to use on clothes you want to put an embroidery design on because you can iron it and it magically disappears (only the white one though, don't go marking up your favorite jeans with the red crayon) I stumbled upon this one day and have been so amused with it ever since. So you draw your line and then you sew on the line then you cut off the point.  Do this for the bag and the liner.

ALMOST THERE!!! 

But not quite. So we need to sew the liner to the bag. To do this you need to turn one of them right side out. (admire it because you can now you can see what it is going to look like.) Put the bag you turned right side out, inside of the other bag. I pin the bag at the seams to make sure they are going to line up and the tops of the handles so that I know not to sew them shut. also you want to pin your loop in now too. it should go in the center, make sure the loop is inside. Now sew the front, back and sides leaving all of these areas open...

 The first photo is where you will turn the bag inside out and the other four are the handles I will show you how to finish these off in a minute.

VERY IMPORTANT STEP!!!

REFILL YOUR COFFEE CUP! so if you don't drink coffee, I am not sure you should be reading my blog. What kind of person doesn't drink coffee... oh yes My sister, so I guess there are some cool people out there that can't stand the taste of coffee, so for all of you, open a coke or make some cocoa or hot tea for this step, but make sure you don't miss it because you will need it later on in this tutorial.

Clip Your Curves!

This isn't necessary for your finished product it will just make it so much easier when you flip your bag right side out to iron it. It keeps the bag from being all bunchy on the curved parts of the bag so it will lay flat and smooth. Really you can iron it into submission but this is much easier, you just clip your curves up to the seam but try not to cut thru the seam on all of your curved spots. There should be 6 separate spots that you clip.

Now it is time to Flip your bag inside out and then Iron.

 Make sure that when you Iron that you fold the raw seam in where you turned the bag right side out and then only on the front side of the bag fold the raw seam in on the top of the handle piece. leave the handle pieces on the back side out.

BUTTON HOLES!

I don't know about you but I LOVE me some button holes. now these serve a great purpose and it isn't for buttons. These button holes are to keep your bag up on the bag rack at the store so that the checker isn't fighting with it the whole time s/he is trying to pack up your groceries that is also what the loop is for that you sewed in earlier. :) I pick the largest button hole my machine will do (it is about an inch long) and start the button hole three inches down from the top of the handle piece. (the one's with the raw seam showing.)

I think we should finish off these handles how about you?

So really it is pretty easy, you just poke the side that has the raw edge, inside the side you folded in earlier and pin it so it doesn't move on you. (you will remove the pins after we are finished sewing for comfort)

Oooh ooh we are picking out top stitching!!! 

So to sew the top of the handles I like to use the back stitching zigzag. It makes it super durable so they don't come apart on you and the rest of the top stitching I do just the back stitching straight stitch. I utilize both of these stitches a ton. They are probably my favorite two stitches! For the handles I like to make sure that the zigzag is right on the edge of where my fabric is folded over and in, and for the rest of the top stitching I get as close as I can feel comfortable getting to the edge. I like it to be right at the edge of the bag. But you can do your top stitching however you want, but it needs to be done to close up the gap you have from turning your bag right side out.

This is how mine normally turns out. (yes my zigzag is a little crooked, it happens, you know what, I am not sorry)

The Inevitable Gnarly Rats Nest

 It is bound to happen at one time or another, and for me it always happens when I am doing my top stitching. I am sure My machine does this to me, just to bunch up my panties. This one was a doozie as I had to rebuild my bobbin casing. I literally had three inches of stitching left to go before the bag was done.

(This is why I told you to get some coffee. I downed the rest of my cup at this point)

AND YOU ARE DONE!

yes it is hanging by it's button holes and it's loop. :)

Now this is my first tutorial ever.... so sorry if it is a bit confusing. I can tell you I will never write a book about sewing projects. And it might be awhile before I do another tutorial. If you have any questions where I was not clear about something, don't hesitate to ask. I will try to clarify. Good luck and Happy sewing..

Fabtastic Stuff.

OH YAWN! This has been a very uneventful week!! but I decided that I probably should post some of my favorite things... That I have made that is.

 First things first! PURSES!!! I love to make and design my own purses.. I am a very casual gal so I like my purses to reflect that. I have sold many purses as well. I love to make them but selling them really really takes the fun out of it. I always stress out that I am not picking the right fabric or that it just won't be good enough for what their expectations are. (I have yet to make one that a customer didn't love).  I am in the process of making my own shopping bags right now too!!!! they will be great and unlike anything out there, I PROMISE!  I design a new Purse every winter. So, look out! a new one will be coming soon!! if you want to buy one. let me know, we can talk about it... Maybe.

Paige 22 months

So onto my next favorite thing... and this one is covering one of my most favorite people! this is a Shirt dress. it was made from a man's button up shirt and since Paige out grew it last summer I can't wait until I can button it up around little miss Piper!

SKIRTS SKIRTS SKIRTS SKIRTS

 

                                         Paige age 2                                                                                         Paige age 3

I LoVe making my little squirts skirts to wear! LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE it! they are so much fun and so easy to come up with all kinds of different designs! it takes very little effort or know how to get this DIY job done! I mostly just use scraps from quilts I have made so they are practically free... except for thread and elastic! 

So I am feeling a bit like a bad mother. I have yet to post a photo of my smallest offspring and I can't find a photo of her wearing any thing I have made and since you could say that I made her I will just post one of my favorite photos of her!

Piper 10 months.

 Funny story of the week:

So I was watching my niece and nephew on Friday. They showed up before Piper woke up that morning (she isn't much of a morning person and likes to sleep in) well the increased volume level woke her up shortly after they arrived, so I set her down to play with my neice (who is just four months older then her) My niece walks over to Piper and pats her on the head, Paige saw this and said... "Awww they are so cute!" with that my nephew (who is the same age as Paige) replied "Yep, But 'my sister' is much cuter" I looked at him and said " Hey! how do you think that makes Piper feel" and he looked at me and said "I mean... I think they are BOTH much cuter" LOL I LOVE that boy!

Paigeism #2

Lick Skip = Lip Stick.

Halloween is on it's way... I know you are way too excited to see how my kids will be dressing up!!!

Put On Your Party Hat

So we went to an awesome birthday party at my Sisters house last night... Mister turned 4 yesterday!! he had a pirate themed birthday. It was awesome. Kids all dressed up like Pirates and had a treasure hunt and she even made chocolate treasure chests that topped the cupcakes (i would have a photo but Matthew ate it last night before I got a photo). My sister is so creative, it always makes me feel like I am lacking in the party department. I have not even really tried to think about Paige's birthday yet. I am still worrying about making Halloween costumes. (that is what I do best, sew stuff for the kids to wear)

On our way to the Party I stopped by the Dollar store in an effort to be a good Aunt, I wanted to get him some balloons so I got him 4 latex balloons and then 1 pretty little pirate balloon. On my way out to the car from the store (it was really windy yesterday) I popped the blue balloon. Then getting out of the car the cute little Pirate balloon blew away. :( Mister never got to see it. We arrived with one black one red and one yellow balloon tangled around Piper, and of course the whole house was decorated in red and black so my one little yellow balloon through off the whole decor.  Lucky for me, my sister understands my best intentions are in everything I do.

So on our way home last night Paige said "That was a really great party". So I ask her " What kind of birthday do you want." she says. " uuuh a robot party, probably" she is so stuck on robots lately.. well actually since July. Back in July she wanted to talk about her birthday so I asked her what kind of gift she wanted to get and what kind of cake she wanted to eat. she was surprisingly thorough, with the description of things, and to this day she still will tell you the same thing she told me that day.

Gift- a  Pink Robot (god only knows where I am going to find a pink robot.)
Cake- purple frosting with a rainbow on it. and maybe some M&M's.

So who knows what this party is going to be like.
I do know that we actually have kids to invite to this party, for the first time ever she will at least have kids to play with on her birthday! that makes me happy for her.

She is such a wonderful little person and she deserves something great for her birthday. I hope I can deliver.




So here is my funny Paige story today,

June 25th 2011,

Mom and I were talking about taking Paige and Piper to the Zoo the next day, in an effort to get her excited about going I asked her "Paige, do you want to go see the Butterflies at the zoo tomorrow?" (she had just been a couple weeks earlier for Addison's Birthday).

She looks at me wide eyed and says "No! I am scared of them"
So I ask "Why are you scared of them, baby?"
she replies " Because they are EVERYWHERE!" while wildly waving her arms above her head.

Paigeism of the day:
Tubana Slip = Banana Split. 
 

Imaginary Friends 2011

Damn Piper.

Paige Harper 4 years old was climbing into the car getting herself situated into her car seat, which is hard to do when you are trying to balance your french fries and chocolate milk, out of nowhere Piper Reese all of one year old reaches over and snatches Paige's hot and tasty french fries right out her hand.  Seeing how one year old's aren't so super agile this knocks the fries out of Paige's little hands and they rain down onto the car's carpeted floor. "UUUUUUUGaaaaHHH, Damn Piper" My Darling 4 year old says, as Piper lets out a squeal of happiness.

In this moment I can see how the next 14 years of my life are going to be. It has started and My Baby just turned one.. they are already fighting.

I look at Paige with my mouth a gape, "Paige! we don't say that word.. it is a bad word" I tell her. "I didn't say a bad word" she says " I didn't say Stupid" she whispers.

My husband Matt and I just lectured her on how we don't call ourselves or others "stupid" the other day, I am glad in this moment that, that conversation stuck, but it looks like we need to have another talk. So I proceed to tell her I didn't care if she heard Mommy or Daddy use that word, we shouldn't have and neither should she.

A Few days later...

I have both kids sitting down eating some buttered toast I am busy sewing a patch on my apron for work. I have Paige sitting at the island in the kitchen and Piper Reese in in the highchair right next to her. Paige is singing songs she has learned in school and munching away on her toast. Piper is rubbing the butter into her hair. A few seconds later I hear Paige gasp and say "OH NO!!!!" I look up to see what kind of tragedy I have on my hands, just to see that Piper has gotten into the drawer with all of her sippy cup lids in it, there are lids covering the tray of her highchair. It is no biggie so I keep on sewing. then I hear Paige ask me "Mom... can I say damn?"  am concentrating on my sewing project. so I auto answer "sure" and she says really loud almost shocking "DAMN PIPER!" I laugh quiet and say. "OH no!! I am sorry no, never say that word, mommy didn't mean to tell you that you could. She just looks at me with her great big eyes holds her hand up to her mouth  and says. "oops".

I love my kids....

Paige Spring 2011